


Reala Into Dreams

by Reala



Category: NiGHTS into Dreams, ナイツ 〜星降る夜の物語〜 | NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, F/M, Roleswap, the roleswap is nights and reala, transwoman!reala
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29690031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reala/pseuds/Reala
Summary: What if NiGHTS and Reala switched places? It's much more complicated than that.
Relationships: Jackle/Reala (NiGHTS), NiGHTS & Reala (NiGHTS )
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue

"Find the princess!"

"Let's go already!"

"You there, hurry up and _find_ her!"

A bellowing voice dripping with rage (and a hint of worry) echoed across Nightmare Castle, with the scattering whooshes of each nightmaren searching about per the voice's orders.

"Tsk. I can't _believe_ her." The nightmaren slammed the bottom of his staff against the tile, pulling up his hood and gazing into the bleak horizon. He turned to another nightmaren who was standing next to him: "NiGHTS. If we do not find her in the next day, Princess Reala is to be labeled a traitor, and thus marked for extermination by you, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Lord Selph." NiGHTS, the prince of the castle, and Reala's twin brother, clenched one of his fists; he was holding his sister's persona mask, but quickly tossed it onto the tile and smashed his heel over it.

She wanted to run away? Fine, but she was going to come back home, even if it means he would have to drag her cold, dead body with him.

* * *

"Help! Please! Someone, anyone!" a shrill, desperate maren limped onto what seemed to be a desolate plaza, with a quiet fountain filling the space with soft sprinkles of sound. The nightmaren laid herself against the cold marble of the fountain, and pulled her hood over her, struggling to stifle any tears that would escape.

"Hoo! What's this? A nightmaren? In Nightopia?" Somebody chirped in front of her.

The nightmaren hastily sat up and waved her hands around dismissively, "N-No I'm, I'm not like the rest of them! I promise. I threw away my persona, a-and. I rebelled against father. Please, I'm Princess Reala. I mean you no harm."

"Ah. A princess? I am simply called Owl, hoo!" Owl, whom immediately relaxed upon her words, bowed and flapped back into the sky: "Welcome to the Dream Gate! The entrance to Nightopia! You must not be nightmaren if you can manage to access this place! Tell me, what brings you here? Oh, and while you're at it, let's fly to my cottage, you need those wounds to be patched up, hoo!"

"I. Um. I can't." Reala stood up, rubbing her bruises, "Father never allowed me to fly, so I'm pretty lousy at it."

"Hoo? A nightmaren that can't fly? You're ruffling my feathers!"

"I-I'm not! I swear! I was too 'graceful' to need to fly like barbaric second-level nightmarens." 

Owl pondered for a moment, then tilted his head and flew forward, plopping Reala on top of his head: "Hoo! Well, looks like you'll need a ride there for now! And you'll also need flying lessons; a bit strange how a nightmaren isn't allowed to fly, hoo."

"Thank you...For your kindness, I mean." Reala crossed her legs and held on tightly onto Owl, "I cannot promise I can pay you back, however."

"Your company is all I ask for, princess. It is awfully lonely here without visitors!" Owl chirped, fluttering his wings upward and swooping them to a floating wooden cottage. 

The cottage, which Reala would describe as 'cozy', took the shape of a small cabin, decorated with various trinkets unfamiliar to the princess, such as odd toys and clothing she had never seen before. There was even a nice tree and a little chimney! It reminded her of some storybooks she was given by her teachers when she was younger, except floating. 

"Owl, what are those things on the ground, and around the house?" Reala asked, carefully hopping off of his head and landing on the grass.

"Oh! Those are gifts, from the visitors!" 

"Visitors?"

"You probably don't know what those are...Hoo. I can explain once we are inside." Owl stuck out his talons and pattered to the door, opening it for Reala. 

Reala stifled a small giggle once he actually used his legs; he was half the height of her! An impressive feat, considering she and NiGHTS were the shortest nightmaren in the royal family. NiGHTS..Her grin faded and she furrowed her brows. 

Owl took notice, and gestured for her to sit down on a stool that resembled a mushroom. Once she sat down, he began to stir a pot of tea for her, leaving her a chance to examine her surroundings closer. She thought the outside of the cottage was storybook-esque, but the outside didn't compare to this! Owl's dining room was one huge red mushroom, donned with more brown stools. The lights were simply lightning bugs that flew around in jars that were stuck around the ceiling, with the kitchen consisting of various unorthodox shaped utensils. Reala blinked a few times as she noticed that Owl's teapot was a toad! It croaked when the water was boiling, and he hummed delightfully as he poured it into a teacup that was in the shape of a flower petal.

Owl took both cups and placed them on top of his dining table, smiling and adjusting his spectacles, "So, Princess Reala. Tell me what ails you, hoo."

"Please, you can simply call me Reala. I...I do not want the title of princess anymore." Reala put her lips to the teacup's rim, not wanting to really question why Owl's teapot was alive, it would be rude! Maybe toad water tasted alright? As she sipped, and took note of how delicious the tea was, she began: "I ran away from my father, King Wizeman. Master, lord, it matters not. He would not respect my identity. I...Am transgender." She fidgeted with the cup's handle as she said this, her lip quivering.

"Oh! Hoo! As am I. There is no shame to it!" Owl burst into hearty chuckles, putting his teacup down: "Do you not have a sibling? Prince.."

"NiGHTS. His name is NiGHTS. He supported me, yes, but I was to take the throne and father hated my identity. He enforced the idea that all of his creations were perfect, and we were not to think otherwise."

"Very hypocritical, no? Does Lord Wizeman not have a nose? Or eyes?" Owl's laughter wouldn't be suppressed, but he cleared his throat and pushed up his spectacles. "Apologies. I, erm. Think it is a bit humorous that an imperfect king should enforce perfection in his children."

"How do you know of father? Are you not of Nightopia?" Reala leaned forward.

"Dearest princess, that is a conversation for another day. Why don't you tell me more about your life there. What made you want to run to Nightopia?" 

"I..." she gazed down at her lap, pulling on her cloak, "I heard from Lord Selph that Nightopia is a land of happiness. That it slowly melds you with it and makes you truly feel and look who you are inside. I want to be rid of this accursed appearance."

She gestured to her sharp horns, then her slit icy-blue eyes, and scarred body.

"I don't even like these clothes I'm forced to wear. I don't understand why NiGHTS got to wear pants but I have to wear this odd belt contraption, I despise it so!" She ripped the belt off of herself, and tossed it onto the floor. Then, she pulled off her black chest piece, and picked off her ruffled collar.

"Hoo, I understand. Tell me, Nightmare has the laws of betrayal, yes? You left Nightmare knowing perfectly you would become an enemy to your kingdom with your choice. Are you happy with this?"

Reala didn't hesitate, nodding immediately, "Yes. If it means I can be who I want to be." 

"Reala, you say this, yet you are engaged." Owl tilted his head.

Her left horn had a charm of a shining orange sun tied to it. She quickly turned her head away and removed it, rubbing her thumb against it and tying it back on.

"Yes, I am. That did not affect my decision."

Owl tapped his wing against the table, deep in thought. After a second, or two, he spoke: "It is admirable the risks you took to come here. Say, let us make an agreement then." Owl stood up from the stool: "I shall grant you my home as your home. On the condition that you assist me."

"Assist you?" Reala raised an eyebrow.

"Your kind has been causing nothing but trouble for us of Nightopia. It's caused less and less visitors to appear since they seem to keep stealing their ideya! Would you mind so terribly as to become a greeter with me?" 

"A greeter?"

"Yes. One who greets visitors and accompanies them throughout Nightopia. Those gates you saw down there? They change ever so often, it might just make you dizzy! Nightopia is not one land, but several. It is formed out of each visitor's hearts, so it constantly changes appearance to accommodate the feelings inside them. Luckily, when they leave, it simply looks like a serene little forest."

Reala sat back in the seat, twiddling her thumbs. This meant fully becoming a traitor to Nightmare. To be fair, she already was. But to become the very thing they were trained to destroy? To save the very things the nightmaren depended on for sustenance? She'd shudder to think what her father would do to her upon finding out she was saving visitor's ideya. Nevertheless.

"I'll do it."

* * *

Back in Nightmare, NiGHTS stood shakingly in front of his father, taking slow, deep breaths.

"Father. Reala has been declared a traitor."

"I know this."

"A-And that means. I. Um. I'm the next ruler, yes?"

"You _insolent_ child!" One of Wizeman's hands reached out and grabbed NiGHTS, squeezing with its every might, "You think I would let the twin brother of a traitorous child _rule_? No." He dropped NiGHTS, leaving the maren coughing and wheezing on the floor.

"I must simply start anew." Wizeman floated back to his throne, sitting down and snapping his fingers to summon Selph. As he floated in, he silently winced at seeing NiGHTS curled up on the floor.

"Selph."

"Yes, my lord?" 

"Prepare the creation chamber."

"Yes, at once, my lord." Selph bowed, and tapped the floor with the bottom of his staff, the bright indigo ideya shard glimmering and teleporting NiGHTS out of the room. A few moments later, NiGHTS opened his eyes and found himself in Selph's library, laying on a silky chaise longue. 

"Did he squeeze too hard?" Selph sighed heavily, waving the staff over NiGHTS, the magic slowly diminishing the pain.

"Thank you, Selph." NiGHTS grumbled, then hissed and sat himself up, "I am _murdering_ Reala."

From the doorway, a little ways from them, a third, much bigger nightmaren, held tightly onto a silver moon charm on his hands as he cast a glance at NiGHTS. He let a stray tear stain the metal, as he shook his head and tied it back onto his right horn. Even if she broke his heart, he wasn't going to let NiGHTS lay a hand on her.


	2. One Year Later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One year later, and Reala has become the official greeter alongside Owl for the dream gate; she gains a new look, new friends, and a new home.  
> Meanwhile, Wizeman has had multiple concoctions stirring in his twisted pot. Failure after failure, NiGHTS decides to prove to Wizeman he is deserving of the throne.

"Visitor from another world, welcome!" 

A young boy, maybe perhaps about twelve years of age, walked in a daze into the Dream Gate. 

"I take it this is your first time here?" Owl chuckled, flapping close enough for the boy to fall on the ground.

"I am Owl. I have lived here since... Well, before you were born, hoo hoo! I bet you're wondering where here is." Owl fluttered a little ways back, "Have the things you've felt when you were asleep ever particularly real to you? Have you ever thought for sure that it all had to be something more? Well," Owl chuckled, "That's because what you people think of as "dreams" is really this world!" 

"A world? Of dreams?" The boy carefully stood back up.

"Precisely! This is the Night Dimension, the place people make their way to when they're asleep." 

A flutter and a lovely tune of a lyre rang in the boy's ears. He looked up to see a mysterious being twirling about, except they weren't holding any instrument! The figure had smooth horns that dipped into the shape of a heart, with lovely twin beauty marks on their cheeks, and black lipstick that resembled that of a doll's. The figure continued to play, seemingly an invisible lyre, and then opened their eyes, which were a beautiful mix of purples and blues, and floated downwards in front of the boy. 

"Well, if it isn't the princess." Owl grinned.

"Princess?" Will's eyes widened. 

"Oh, don't worry about that." The being landed gently on the ground. They curtsied, and giggled, "Call me Reala! And what is your name, young child?" 

The boy's demeanor slowly relaxed, as he smiled back: "Will. Will Taylor."

"Well, Will! I'm sure standing around talking to my grandfather is too boring to do in this dream world, would you care to learn how to fly with me? We just have to dualize!"

"Dualize?" Will tilted his head.

Reala waggled her finger, enunciating: "Du-A-Lize-Ah!"

"I can assure you it is perfectly safe, visitor. Simply go up and touch Reala's hand." Owl flew out of the way, waiting for Will to go on ahead.

Will blinked a few times, before hesitantly putting his hand out to touch Reala's. In what seemed to be a flash, he was suddenly floating too! And he was Reala? He looked down at himself; his vest was gone and he was wearing Reala's heart-shaped flats!

"Will, we dualized." Reala clarified, with a giggle, "We're sharing a body now! Well, my clothes are still the same because I'm not human, but look!" For a second, she took over and floated them down to the fountain, where their reflection showed that Reala's once-red horns and pale-white skin were now yellow and tan. Her eyes were the same colors as his now!

"I'm telling you Will, we dualized!" Reala giggled once more. 

"We dualized.." he gasped, their voices were melded too! It sounded like two people talking at once. He looked down at Reala—and his too now, he guessed—clothes, and pursed his lip; "Wait, Reala, if Owl called you a princess, why are you wearing a cloak? And where's your tiara?" 

Reala took over again, shrugging, "You're going to ask about the cloak, but not the lace sleeves and the black and gold shorts? Or even my leggings?" she wouldn't stop laughing, visitors were always so curious! "Grandfather calls me what he wants, it's just him being polite!"

"Hoo, yes, and what a difference it makes whenever you dualize with someone!" Owl flew up next to them, "Blonde really suits you, Reala!"

"Why, _thank_ you." Will took over, bowing dramatically and laughing.

"Come on, let's teach you how to maneuver my body properly before we crash into a tree!"

After what seemed like hours, Will was slowly perfecting flying, with each mistake earning a laugh or a chuckle from Reala. Once he felt too tired to continue flying, he asked to stop dualizing for him to take a break and sit on the fountain. 

As they laughed together, Reala paused and gasped as she pointed at Will's hands, "Will! You have an ideya?"

Will looked down at his own hands, blinking a few times, completely puzzled as to why they were glowing red, "Ideya?"

"You do! You have an ideya of courage! With that, we can open the gate to your own Nightopia!" Reala excitedly wiggled in the air, pointing to a hollow frame of a door.

"Nightopia?"

"Come! You think the Dream Gate was fun? We'll have a blast in Nightopia!" Reala grabbed Will's hand and dragged him to the doorframe. 

"Visitor," Owl began to elaborate, "Nightopia is the land that is created out of your heart. With this red ideya, we can open the door to it and explore it. It is rare for a visitor to remember their dreams, much less bring a red ideya along! That's most likely why Reala is wiggling so much." 

"Yes! Come on! Put your hand to the frame! Let us go see what lies ahead in your Nightopia!" Reala gently pushed Will forward.

Hesitantly, Will did as told, putting his hand to the frame, and the frame slowly materialized a wooden door. He gawked silently at this, before opening the door and running inside, with Reala and Owl following behind.

"Ah...This is Pure Valley!" Reala twirled and flew in circles once they entered, the new Nightopia being a land of flowers and large Dandelion stalks, with a seemingly never-ending accompanying the world.

"How did you know what this place is?" Will looked around, then up at Reala.

"I'm a greeter! It's our veeery special power to know everything about a visitor's Nightopia! I _am_ your guide, after all, I wouldn't want you getting lost!"

"Lost? That's rich, coming from **_you_**. You're the most lost of us all." A different, more sinister creature floated in front of the trio, accompanied by two birdlike things with smaller dwarf-like beings riding them. This creature, in contrast to Reala, had sharp, hornet-like horns with cold, slit pupils and sharp claws, as they donned a decorative mask and bowed, before hissing and baring his fangs.

"NiGHTS.." Reala took a step back, gulping and freezing up, "Owl..I..We have to _leave_." Her lip trembled.

" **Reala**. _There_ you are!" NiGHTS smirked, "I go out of my way to find you in this wretched land, and _this_ is how you greet me? Seize the traitor!" With a snap of his fingers, Reala was immediately shackled into a giant, shiny cage, by the bird-like creatures.

"W-woah, what the?!" Reala began flying and bouncing around the cage, attempting to break it.

"Tsk Tsk Tsk. _Dearest_ Reala. You know what those used to be for. You know you won't be able to get out. Now go, watch the prisoner while I return and tell the news to Master Wizeman." With another snap, NiGHTS was gone.

Thankfully, Owl stood in front of Will while this was going on, shielding him from being able to also be captured by NiGHTS. When he left, he turned around and made haste to explain: "Will, remember how we said that Red Ideya was rare? This is another reason it is, it will let you save Reala."

"B-but how? She's trapped!" Will pulled on his vest, wincing and pushing back the lump in his throat that urged him to cry.

"Will, you can climb up there and dualize with her, remember? Come on, you have to have courage. Only you can rescue her." Owl patted Will's head softly, "I know this is scary, it is! But Reala needs your help."

"Reala...I'll save you!" Will took a deep breath, and climbed up the chains of the cage, holding his hand out and dualizing with Reala, breaking the cage in one fell swoop.

As they did, Reala twirled around, spinning around and cheering, "Hooray, Will! You did it! I'm so proud of you! I'm free!" 

With the dualizing, Will felt how happy and relieved Reala was, and he couldn't help but smile and nod, "Owl helped too! I probably would have cowered away and cried if he wasn't there..."

"Aw, Will, that's okay, we all get scared sometimes! Now, come on, let's teach those horrid nightmaren what'll happen when they invade your Nightopia!" Reala cracked her knuckles.

"Oh, oh, are we going to kick their butts?" Will's eyes lit up.

_"Absolutely."_

* * *

Back in Nightmare Castle, NiGHTS had rushed back home to the throne room: "Master Wizeman! I have captured the trai-" 

He was interrupted by Selph projecting an image of Pure Valley through one of the nightmarens that were stationed there. Reala was free, and the nightmarens were all plopped onto a stack of defeated messes.

"What! Impossible! How did she-" NiGHTS' eyes widened as gulped and took a step back.

 **"Reala dualized. With a visitor. With a red ideya. The most powerful ideya of them all. And you thought it proper to come back to _report_ to me?" **Wizeman's voice shook, his hands raising to grab NiGHTs and squeezed the life out of him, when Selph stood in front of NiGHTs and held his hands up.

"M-Master Wizeman, Prince NiGHTS had no idea I was projecting the scenery through the nightmaren's eyes. After all, I-I only learned this a few hours ago! It should not be his fault, but mine that I had not informed him of this." His voice faltered a little, but he stood tall, protecting NiGHTS from any potential harm.

"I see." Wizeman lowered his hands and shook his head: "I will overlook this. For now. Clearly _both_ my children are failures to me." 

"I. I'm sorry father." NiGHTS knelt down and hung his head. If it weren't for Selph, he would probably be dead by now; he'd have to thank him for that later.

Wizeman rested his chin on his hands, the eyes on his hands staring straight at Selph, "Bring Samwise to me; after countless of those ridiculous failures, it is time for me to see my new, proper heir."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2/25/21: I should probably add that this follows some certain JOD conventions where enemies reappear and they're never brought up again cause I'm trying to make it a LITTLE faithful to the game haha


	3. One Electric Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reala learns that Will had been accidentally causing problems in Nightmare Castle, thanks to a peculiar friend.

Will had no idea exploring the land of dreams would be so fun with Reala. They danced and hopped about in his various Nightopian worlds, where after each one, they would discover more and more lands, and at one point, he had even met a nice girl! He would talk more about that later. For now, he and Reala were laying in the beautiful Delight City’s sand, staring up at the sky as Will told Reala of his experiences with his father. Somehow, he had managed to bring a backpack full of stuff to Nightopia, things that he would show to Reala and hopefully teach her a little more about human stuff.

Unluckily for a speedy little maren, his own experiences with children weren’t going so hot. Once his father had tossed him out for being an “evident” failure, he’d simply resorted to speeding in and out of Nightmare, around the castle, anywhere really, looking for a hint of adventure to ease his boredom. During one of the few times that NiGHTS had successfully captured Will, he managed to keep him trapped in Nightmare Castle at least for a few hours, this maren was taking a really long nap that day, so he didn’t really notice Will screaming for help until it got too distracting. 

“Alright, Alright, I’ll help! Just stop the screaming so I can sleep better, geez.” This maren rubbed his eyes and grumbled to himself as the kid backed away into a wall.

“NiGHTS...Why are you..Yellow?” The kid shivered, he only saw a bright yellow flash before seeing this mysterious nightmaren whose eyes looked quite similar to the guy responsible for being trapped here.

“NiGHTS?” The maren looked around himself, bewildered with the accusation, “Since when did I look like _that_ kiss-up?” He sped up face-first to the kid, and stuck his hand out, “I’m Jolten! NiGHTS’ _better_ sibling!”

“Will. I’m afraid.” Will hesitantly shook his hand.

“Well Will-I’m-Afraid, let’s get you outta here, this place is a wreck!” Jolten scooped Will up into his arms, and ran around the castle. He zipped and zoomed and frankly, made Will nauseated with how fast he was going.

“Okay, I’ll be honest-” Will could barely make what Jolten said, but nevertheless he tried to listen, “I have no idea how to get out of the castle in a way that doesn’t involve me breaking through one of the windows. So! This might take a while longer.”

After a few more minutes of zipping about, Jolten had to take a small break, this kid was heavy and you can only look at so many edgy dark tiles before you got tired of them, “Alright, kid, it seems I’ll need to ask someone for help.”

Will gasped, “Help? Is there anyone really going to help out someone like me? Wouldn’t they steal my ideya?”

“Listen, Will-I’m-Afraid, we’re not all NiGHTS. I have no use for that ideya of yours, sorry! Also, that was a horrible question to ask considering _I’m_ a nightmaren and you trusted me _very_ easily.”

Will frowned and crossed his arms, as he turned his head away, murmuring, “You just...Remind me of Reala, that’s all...You felt trustworthy.”

“Now that’s a compliment!” Jolten chuckled and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “Being compared to Reala? She’s the reason I’m so keen on standing up to ole pops! I can’t really do much though, so I just sorta run out when I can.” 

Their conversation was interrupted by one of the doors in the hallway slowly opening. Out the door came a small, light-purple nightmaren who was the same height as Will, and even more afraid.

“Oh! Prince Samwise, sorry ‘bout that!” Jolten bowed and pushed Will forward to do the same, but the little one shook his head and frowned.

“You don’t...Need to do that, Jolty. Who is this?” Samwise pointed to Will, who had hid behind Jolten.

“Ah! Right. This is a visitor, his name’s Will. NiGHTS trapped him in here and now I’m trying to find a way out.” 

“Um. Could you not take the front door?”

“I don’t know where that is, I usually leave by-”

“Breaking through the windows, I know. I’ll show you.” 

As he took both their hands and led them to the front door, Will wasn’t exactly on page with the both of them. Who were they? How does this yellow guy know who Reala is? He’d have to ask later. Once they reached the door, Will put his hands on Samwise’s shoulders, and blurted out: “Samwise, thank you very much. But you’re a kid, are you not?”

“I. Guess so.” Samwise’s eyes widened at the sudden touch.

“Then you should talk more like a kid! You know! Say things like radical, or cool, or that things are super lame and dumb!” Will grinned, “You’re only a kid for so long!”

“I will...Take that into consideration?” Samwise gawked, before opening the door for them and closing it back up quickly.

“Wow, you left the poor kid speechless. What was that all about?” Jolten picked Will back up to start running. 

“I just thought he needed someone his own age to tell him how to be a kid!” Will smiled, wrapping his arms around Jolten’s neck, “This place is so gloomy, it makes me sad thinking how he’ll be raised to be serious and stuff.” 

* * *

“...And that’s how I met Jolten! He saved me from that castle, but…” Will frowned, and sighed, “I wish I could’ve seen him again, it was so fun zooming around like that.”

“Hey, at least he didn’t steal your ideya!” Reala chirped, “But yeah, I get that! I miss the times NiGHTS and I would run togeth- oh. Nevermind that.” 

“Wait, Reala, you know NiGHTS?” Will sat up, looking over at her. 

Reala gulped then smiled softly, “taking out” her lyre, “Would you care for a song, Will?” 

“Oh, sure! Your songs always make me sleepy, though..” Will laid back down, closing his eyes.

As Reala played, she made sure to play softly, sweetly, enough to guarantee Will to sleep. She’d hate to admit it to him, but she just wasn’t ready to talk about NiGHTS and how they were twins. Thankfully, her song left Will drifting off to a nap. She’d never understand how a visitor could fall asleep in their own dream world, but nonetheless, she sighed in relief before being tackled by a bright blue-and-yellow flash of lightning.

As they rolled in the sand, Reala gasped as this nightmaren covered her mouth with her hand and put a finger to his own mouth.

“Shh, we shouldn’t wake the visitor! Those guys always get so _scared_ seeing a nightmaren.” 

As he removed his hand from her mouth, he stood up and bowed “Uhh, Princess Reala, right? Pleased to meet you. I'm technically your younger brother!”

“Younger brother?” Reala crossed her arms and stood up as well, then held a hand up: “Please, no formalities-”

“Oh _Thank_ Wizeman! I mean, not, but, yeah, you get what I mean.” Jolten smiled and held his hand out, “I’m Jolten! Fastest maren in Nightmare if I _do_ say so _myself_!” He finger-gunned at Reala and snapped his finger, “Ah! But you don’t know who I am, do you?”

“Wait,” Reala squinted her eyes, “You’re the maren that saved Will from the castle!”

“Nah, no big deal that you don’t know, I was born only a year ago after all-” he stopped in his tracks once he actually processed what Reala said, “Huh. So that kid _didn’t_ forget about me! Cool!” Jolten gave her a thumbs up, “I’m guessing he didn’t really know what I was though, huh?” he smiled sheepishly.

Reala simply glared at him, blinking a few times and nodding.

“Right. Okay. Should probably elaborate. Wizeman created me after you rebelled and now there’s lots of little buggers like me in his castle! Well, not lots, You’d think the old man would get sick and tired after _one_ failure-”

“Failure? You have all your limbs, you’re a first-level, aren’t you?” Reala crossed her arms.

“Ah, that’s the zinger!” Jolten gestured to Will, “I can’t do that thing you do with those guys.”

“Dualize?”

“Yeah, I don’t like to talk about it.” Jolten adjusted his visor, “It’s no big deal, I just wanted to reach out and tell ya about our littlest brother.”

“How many of you did father make?”

“Oh, you _know_ ,” Jolten waved his hand dismissively, “A feeew...But, you gotta save Samwise, you just hafta.”

Reala raised an eyebrow, “The little purple nightmaren? Why?” 

“He’s the youngest, the only one after you and Reala that can do the dualizey thing. He’s in reaaal big trouble after Will-I’m-Afraid told him to act more like a kid.”

“Will? How?”

“He told Samwise to use more “cool” words, and he ended up calling Wizeguy “lame”, which landed him a one-way ticket to the dungeon. He’s shackled up badly, and Selph’s the only one feeding him. It makes me feel real bad since I was the one who technically introduced that kid to him.” Jolten rubbed his arm and pouted.

Reala shook her head, “Why would he do that?” 

“Wize guy didn’t like how Samwise seemed to develop a sense of free will. He made Samwise with limited free thinking so he wouldn’t rebel like you or me. So, to prevent that, he punished him. And we gotta get him out.” 

Jolten not-so-carefully tiptoed to where Will kept his backpack, and searched the bag for things to potentially help Samwise. Though this is what he would say to Reala, he was mostly just curious as to what it was and what he could take from him since he liked how weird some stuff the visitors had were. After a small aha! Moment, he pocketed something he thought would actually help, and zoomed back to Reala.

“Okay! Let’s go!” 

As he scooped her up, Reala started to struggle.

“Wait, you’re running to Nightmare Castle? I-I’m not ready to go back!”

Jolten put her down and looked into her eyes, “Reala. Please. I wouldn’t be doin’ this if I didn’t need your help.”

Reala was taken aback at how serious he sounded, and sighed, but reluctantly climbed back on Jolten’s shoulders, “Fine. Just get me out of there as soon as possible.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time for the character created by @flapplejuice to make an appearance! Thank you for letting me use him :)!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Dream Gate for inspiring me and giving me motivation to write, I love you all. :)


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